"HARRY POTTER & THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 2" IS 2011'S HIGHEST-GROSSING FILM

Still from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

It is absolutely no surprise that 2011 tallies show that Franchise Finale Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, is internationally the year's highest-grossing Film.  The Warner Bros. Fantasy Drama earned a whopping $1.328 billion worldwide, over $200 million more than its closest competition, Transformers: Dark of the Moon. This past Summer I was lucky enough to be a part of the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 Canadian Press Tour.  Click here to read my Interview with burgeoning Star, Matthew Lewis.

Note that eight out of ten of these Films actually are sequels with Warner Bros., Buena Vista/Disney and Paramount Pictures each accounting for two each. Based on Rotten Tomatoes ratings for the Top Ten, it would appear there is a bit of a divide between Critical and Commercial tastes with these ten averaging 56.3% among Critics, below the "Certified Fresh" threshold.

Without further ado, here are your Top Ten Grossing Films of 2011:

X-MEN: FIRST CLASS LIVES UP TO ITS NAME IN DEBUT

Still from X-Men - First Class

X-Men: First Class had a first-in-class opening weekend at the Box Office, taking in $53 million from  3,641 theatres for 20th Century Fox.  Although a solid opening, this is considered weak for a Marvel Comics adaptation.   Reviews however, have been strong for the Film starring an Oscar-caliber Cast of Michael Fassbender, James McAvoy, Jennifer Lawrence and Rose Byrne.  Rotten Tomatoes pegs it at 87% on its Tomatometer.

The Hangover Part II is still going strong in its second week, slipping to second with $35 million after a record-setting opening.  It is v. close to surpassing the $200 million mark domestically.

Meanwhile, Kung Fu Panda 2 continues to perform strong in third with $22 million this weekend in its second week, putting it just ahead of former Box Office-topper Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides in fourth with $16.5 million in its third week of release.

Bridesmaids just surpassed the $100 million-mark in earnings this weekend in fifth spot with $12 million (a second Movie in the Top Ten for Byrne) and more notably, Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris in Limited Release (147 theatres) is performing well in eighth spot with $2.4 million.

"THE HANGOVER PART II" SHATTERS BOX OFFICE RECORD

Still from The Hangover Part II

Congratulations, Warner Bros.! The Hangover Part II officially has shattered Box Office Records, becoming the highest opening R-rated Comedy of all time. Opening Thursday night with an eye-popping $31.6 million alone, the Wolf Pack are expected to make $107 million by Sunday and $139 by the end of U.S. Memorial Day Weekend. Despite poor reviews overall on Rotten Tomatoes (35%), CinemaScore rated the Film an "A" still.

Kung Fu Panda 2 was expected to give The Hangover Part II a run for its money, but in the end failed to threaten even though it performed well, with a projected take of $56 million by Sunday and $65 million over a five-day weekend.

After a superb debut, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides is still going strong, estimated to take-in $50 million by Sunday. Bridesmaids follows behind in fourth with $20.6 million. To-date the Comedy has brought in $89.3 million in three weeks. Meanwhile, Thor finds itself in fifth this Memorial Day Weekend with $12 million.

Woody Allen's latest Midnight in Paris showing in only 58 theatres, lands in ninth spot in its second week of release with $2.2 million. The Rom-Com starring Rachel McAdams, Owen Wilson, Michael Sheen and Marion Cotillard will continue to expand in coming weeks.

MOVIEGOERS CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF "PIRATES"

If there was any concern over the world ending this weekend, Moviegoers certainly were undeterred from heading to the theatres this weekend.  Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides debuts this weekend with an excellent $91.5 million, making it the biggest-grossing opening weekend for a Film in 2011.  Although not quite as successful as the second and third installments of the Pirates of the Caribbean Franchise -  Dead Man's Chest opened with $135 million back in 2006 - On Stranger Tides, doubled The Curse of the Black Pearl's $46.6 million opening back in 2003.  The Disney Franchise clearly has seen better days, but by no means is showing signs of stopping yet.

Truly embodying what it means to be a Bridesmaid by coming in second two weeks in a row, Universal Pictures' Bridesmaids brings in a healthy $20.9 million this weekend.  In two weeks the Comedy has earned $60 million, almost doubling the Studio's $32 million investment in production costs.

Paramount's Thor is still performing well, landing in third in its third week of release with $15.6 million, just ahead of another former Box Office champion Fast Five with $10.1 million.  Something Borrowed is still hanging on in the Top Ten in seventh, now surpassing the $30 million mark, while 20th Century Fox's Water for Elephants spends its fifth week there with $2.3 million in ninth spot. 

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES - MOVIE REVIEW

Still from Pirates of the Caribbean:
On Stranger Tides

Did another instalment really need to be made? And did it need really to be in 3-D? No, not really. How does one deny though the worldwide success of the Pirates of the Caribbean Franchise, having grossed over $2.6 billion since 2003? Its Legacy is something to be respected and its legions of Followers should have no problems appreciating this latest Chapter also.

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides is the fourth film in the series from A Jerry Bruckheimer Production and Walt Disney Motion Pictures. Here we follow free-spirited Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) as he reunites with a mysterious Woman from his past named Angelica (Penélope Cruz) whom he has scorned. The fiery Daughter of tyrannical Blackbeard (Ian McShane) is on a quest with her Father aboard the Queen Anne's Revenge to locate the illusive Fountain of Youth and the two chalices one must drink from in order to live forever.

We never are sure whether Angelica’s feelings towards Jack are genuine or whether she simply wants to use him – with the help of Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) and Gibbs (Kevin McNally) - for the benefit of her Father in his conquest. Before Jack and Co. can make their way to the Fountain of Youth, they must survive some internal strife aboard the Ship and also, the dangerous Waters they charter.

ENTER TO WIN A PASS FOR TWO TO AN ADVANCE SCREENING IN TORONTO OF "PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES"

Still from Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

Join Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) as he encounters a mysterious Woman from his past named Angelica (Penélope Cruz). We wonder though, if it's love or if she simply is using him to get to the illusive Fountain of Youth after forcing him aboard the ruthless pirate Blackbeard's (Ian McShane) ship, Queen Anne's Revenge.

Jerry Bruckheimer Films and Walt Disney Motion Pictures proudly present Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides and together with Mr. Will-W.:Pop Maven, we want to give two lucky Readers in Toronto each a pass for two to see an Advance Screening of the Film on Wednesday, May 18, 2011, 7:00 PM at Scotiabank Theatre.

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides is directed by Academy Award-winning Director Rob Marshall with a Screen Story and Screenplay written by Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio. It opens in theatres on Friday, May 20, 2011.  Visit the official website here.

To qualify for the win, please leave a comment telling me who produces Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides no later than Monday, May 16, 2011 at 12:00 PM EST. Good luck, Mavenati!

(Photo credit: Walt Disney Motion Pictures)

NATALIE DORMER & KEVIN MCNALLY OF ABC'S "POE" SPOTTED IN TORONTO

Natalie Dormer & Mr. Will-W.

ABC's eagerly-awaited Television Series Pilot Poe starts filming tomorrow and I've spotted a few more Cast members in and around town. No luck yet though in sighting its star Christopher Egan, who reportedly has transformed his appearance with darker hair.

I did have the pleasure of meeting lovely The Tudors star Natalie Dormer who will be playing the role of Celeste Chevalier, romantic partner of Edgar Allen Poe (Egan). Dormer who actually is a Blonde originally, was absolutely lovely taking the time to chat for a bit after a day of preparations, telling me that today was a bit hectic as final touches are being completed for tomorrow. She spotted my Hunter Wellingtons and thought brought her a big smile, being a Brit.

Kevin McNally & Mr. Will-W.

Veteran Actor Kevin McNally, a fellow Brit to Dormer, also was spotted today and many of us might remember him for his work more recently in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. He will be playing the role of Kyle Kilpatrick in Poe and he also was v. friendly, chuckling at my complaints of the cold weather in Toronto. "Come on now, you should be used to it by now!", he told me. Well, he does have a point.

I wish the Cast and Crew of Poe all the best with filming as the Series looks superb already in its perfect casting.  Cannot wait to see how it will turn out and I cannot wait to meet The Talented Mr. Egan!

DISNEY PREVIEWS 2011 FILMS: "THE HELP", "PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN 4" AND "THE MUPPETS"

Walt Disney Motion Pictures Canada just sent me a preview of some of their 2011 releases and it's looking already like next year will be crammed with Blockbusters!

One release which caught my eye in particular was The Help in which Emma Stone stars.  Its Synopsis states that it takes place in the '60s and is about a Girl named Skeeter (Stone) who visits a town in Mississippi.  Determined to be a Writer, she turns the town upside down after deciding to interview candidly the Black Women who serve the wealthy.  Along with the forthcoming installment of Spider-Man, we'll be seeing a whole lotta Stone next year and I can't seem to get enough.  The Help is slated for an August 12, 2011 release.

Many of you will be excited to know that Jim Henson's The Muppets will be given the treatment next Fall.  Forgetting Sarah Marshall's Jason Segel will be starring in the Film as Walter, a huge Muppets Fan who tries to save The Muppet Theatre from demolition after a wealthy Businessman Tex Richman discovers that there is an Oil resevoir of wealthy beneath it.  To raise the much-needed funds required to keep it running, Walter stages a grand Telethon.  Cute!  The new generation of Kids don't know what they're missing and hopefully this will revive some renewed interest in the iconic Franchise.  The Muppets is scheduled for a November 23, 2011 release.

And of course, many of us are excited to see Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides 3-D which sees Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) reuniting with the beautiful and mysterious Angelica (Penélope Cruz), who coaxes him aboard the Queen Anne's Revenge.  Soon before he knows it, he finds himself in all sorts of trouble with both Angelica and the dangerous Blackbeard (Ian McShane).  CHICAGO and NINE Director Rob Marshall helms this installment. The Film hits theatres May 20, 2011.

(Photo credit: Walt Disney Motion Pictures Canada)